Random Insanity
by sayochama
Summary: Various Sakuno pairings A collection of Sakuno-centric one-shots and ficlets. abandoned
1. Guts of Steel

**Random Insanity: Guts of Steel**

**Disclaimer**: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. I'm just borrowing for a little while.

**Rating:** PG

**Summary:** Inui Sakuno Inui acquires some very interesting data.

All of the stories in **Random Insanity** have no real connection to one another.

* * *

"Excuse me, Inui-sempai…?" Inui turned to look at the owner of the quiet voice, a first-year student who also happened to be his coach's granddaughter. He wondered briefly what she could want with him, especially after practice. From what he had observed Sakuno was very shy, rarely approaching the upperclassmen unless she was on an errand from Ryuuzaki-sensei.

"Yes?" his response was polite, in a tone that was designed not to frighten the timid girl away. She looked up at him and blushed.

"I know you're very busy, but I was wondering if…umm… I could try some of your… Penal-tea…" her voice trailed off as she made her little speech, but ever polite she made sure to bow as did it.

Well, that was a rather odd request. The only person he knew that willingly drank his concoctions was Fuji. That was only because, Inui suspected, the other boy enjoyed the discomfort of the other members of the team as they watched him drink it with ease. In any case, his curiosity was piqued.

"I don't mind, really, but do you mind if I ask why?" If it was possible, she blushed even harder.

"I just started tennis so I'm not very good still… Kachiro-kun, Katsuo-kun and Horio-kun were talking about it and I thought, 'Maybe it would help me, too,' and… I think the memory would be enough so…"

"Hmm…" Inui absently noted that piece of information for later.

"I didn't mean to offend you…" she hastened to apologize. Inui allowed himself a faint smile.

"I'm not offended. It's just the boy's team ran so many laps today that I used all of the Penal-tea up," he explained with a considering expression.

"Oh…" Sakuno's shoulders slumped and she let out a little sigh. Inui recognized the effort it had taken to approach him at all, and remembered the as-yet untested brew stored in the locker room. He wondered if the little first-year would be up to playing guinea pig for him.

"I _do_ have a bottle of Inui-jiru Hyper Super Remix Version 3.7, though…" She visibly swallowed.

Apparently she had only been mentally prepared for one of his so-called "weaker" concoctions, but she gamely took a discreet deep breath and nodded. "Can I have some of that, then…please?"

This was turning out to be a wonderful opportunity for data collection.

"You sure?" She nodded again. "Come with me, then. It's in the club room." He turned and headed back towards the clubroom, the girl in a fast trot attempting to keep up with his much longer strides.

They arrived at the building a few minutes later. Inui left her outside next to the wall and went to retrieve the necessary articles, as well as to spare her the smell and sight of a boy's locker room. A few of the regulars had hung around for a little bit and were surprised to see Inui.

"Forget something, Inui-sempai?" Momoshiro took a break from glaring at Kaidoh and teasing Ryoma long enough to ask.

"Something like that." Inui grabbed some paper cups and a familiar-looking bottle off of his shelf.

"Where are you going with those?" Momoshiro was naturally nosy, not hiding his interest in what Inui was doing. Kaidoh and Ryoma were trying to look casual, but he could tell they were interested as well.

"Outside," Inui answered vaguely, knowing how to push their buttons. He exited the room fully aware of his entourage. Either Fuji's sadistic tendencies had begun to rub off on them or they were just naturally curious, but he wasn't going to make a big issue of it.

"Oh. It's Ryuuzaki." Ryoma recognized the girl with the long braids immediately. She looked up when she heard her name and blushed again.

"R-ryoma-kun…"

"What are you doing here?" Momoshiro was confused, but he was slowly putting things together.

"Ryuuzaki-san, sorry to make you wait," Inui smiled as he handed her a cup, now full of a murky purple-ish liquid. "Inui-jiru Hyper Super Remix, Ver.3.7, as promised."

"Thank you ver—"

"Sempai! What are you trying to do, kill her?" Momoshiro cried, as Kaidoh yelled at the same time, "That's the coach's granddaughter!"

"Are you insane?" It wasn't clear who Ryoma directed his comment too, Inui for giving a _girl_ Inui-jiru, or Sakuno for accepting the cup with thanks.

* * *

In the background the girl took a few tentative sniffs of the liquid. It didn't smell that bad… she had certainly smelled worse things in her life. The entire point of this was to make her stronger, right? That decided, she simply brought the cup to her lips tipped her head back and drank, draining the cup.

* * *

"She actually drank it…" Momoshiro stared at the girl who had her head bent so they could only see her hair. "Hey, Ryuuzaki, are you okay?" Kaidoh and Ryoma could only stare at her. No one drank Inui's drinks willingly.

"How was it?" Inui waited patiently for any reactions from the girl. She looked up at him and… blushed?

"Inui-sempai…" she motioned for him to come down closer to her level. He obliged. "Are you sure you should use this as punishment…? It tastes kind of like blueberries to me…"

He felt his eyebrows visit his hairline.

Sakuno looked around him, acutely aware of the trio watching them. "Should I pretend I didn't like it? I mean… it's Inui-jiru, but…" she stopped mid-explanation, wringing her hands in obvious confusion as to how to save his reputation and not be impolite.

He smiled. This was excellent data.

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

"Oh. Yes, I guess so…" she contemplated the cup in her hands a few moments. "May I have seconds? Inui-jiru is very healthy, right?" she smiled at him shyly.

Of all of the possible responses, this was the one he least expected. He was aware of similar reactions in the trio of underclassman. Inui nodded and refilled her glass. She drained it again, though she still looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Thank you, Ryuuzaki-san."

"For what?" she looked genuinely confused. He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it."

"Oh… okay… thank you very much for today, Inui-sempai," she still looked a bit confused though she made sure to bow politely.

"Oh, and Ryuuzaki-san…" she stopped just as she was turning away.

"Yes?"

"What's your first name, again?" she smiled again, and Inui was suddenly struck by how sweet she looked. He vaguely wondered how much more interesting information he could get if he became friendly with her.

"Sakuno. Ryuuzaki Sakuno."

"I see. Thank you." She shook her head and bowed again, before turning away.

"It's nothing. Thank you again for everything today, Inui-sempai."

"Bye." He waved to her before turning to face the demanding hands of Momoshiro, Kaidoh, and Ryoma. They had, apparently, decided that if a girl like Ryuuzaki could handle his concoction than so could they. It was a matter of pride.

"Do you three want some?" Inui shook the bottle suggestively and was met with three identical steely glares and nods. A few minutes later they were owners of a glass of Super Hyper Remix juice. On some unspoken count they drank it simultaneously… and then spat it out violently yelling about it tasting like rotting fish.

Inui noted their reactions in his notebook before turning the page scrawling a little notation in the margin.

**Inui-jiru Hyper Super Remix, Ver.3.7** (Codename: Princess Remix)


	2. Yellow Umbrellas

**Random Insanity: Yellow Umbrellas**

**Disclaimer**: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. I'm just borrowing for a little while.

**Rating:** PG

**Summary:** (Yuuta -> Sakuno) Fuji and Yuuta talk. Maybe someone understands Yuuta a little bit after all.

* * *

"I'm home." The words slipped out automatically, years of habit overcoming his better judgment. Somehow, though, at that moment it felt right. 

"Yuuta. We weren't expecting you," his brother's voice was surprised and pleased, a matching angelic smile gracing his features as he appeared in the doorway to the hall. "Welcome home."

Yuuta didn't bother looking up as he shook the last of the water out of the yellow umbrella he was holding. "Yeah, well, it was sort of a last-second decision."

"In any case, I'm glad you're here," Fuji replied warmly. Yuuta briefly wondered why it always sounded like some sort of innuendo whenever his brother said anything to him. He stored the umbrella in the stand next to the door and began taking off his shoes. A few seconds passed.

Yuuta decided that there was no roundabout way to get what he wanted out of his inscrutable brother. "Do you know a girl named Ryuuzaki Sakuno?" he asked without preamble. As usual, if Fuji was surprised he didn't show it.

"She's my coach's granddaughter," Fuji answered neutrally. Yuuta still had his back turned to his brother, missing the speculative expression that flashed across Fuji's face. "I wasn't aware you knew her."

"I don't really. Know her, I mean," Yuuta paused for a moment as he rearranged his shoes. "I met her on the way and she lent me her umbrella. Could you return it for me?"

"Of course." Fuji's voice was normal, but Yuuta still had suspicious feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Thanks," Yuuta finally faced Fuji and offered him a tentative smile. Maybe if he was extra nice, his brother might forget whatever mischief he was cooking up in head to torment Ryuuzaki with. It was a long shot, but one could always hope. Sakuno said she thought Fuji was _nice_ after all. "I'm going to go change."

"Okay." Fuji stepped aside for him to pass by. Yuuta moved past him, before remembering another bit of conversation he had shared with the girl on their walk through the rain.

_If I had a big brother, I'd be very happy._

_What's so good about it?_

_Isn't it nice to know that you always have someone to look out for you, even if you don't get along all the time? Being an only child can be lonely sometimes… _

"Oh, yeah, Aniki…" Yuuta stopped and turned to look back at Fuji.

"Hmm?"

"I don't hate you." He practically growled, before turning and stomping down the hall so that Fuji couldn't see the blush on his cheeks.

"I'm glad." Fuji's answer floated down the hall.

"Hmph."

* * *

Fuji waited until Yuuta stomped out of hearing range, before pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number. 

"Hello, Inui? It's me Fuji… Ah. Oh, were you in the middle of something? No? Good. What can you tell me about Sumire-chan's dear granddaughter…?"


	3. Seigaku's Mamas in Training

**Seigaku's Mamas in Training**

**Disclaimer**: Prince of Tennis. Don't own.

**Rating:** PG13

**Summary:** (Ichinen-trio + girls + Oishi; TomoHorio) "I think I just saw Horio and Osakada-san…"

* * *

A familiar scene played itself out during lunchtime in the halls Seishun Gakuen Middle School, as two very loud freshmen battled for supremacy in their relationship.

"You make me so mad, Horio-kun," Tomoka yelled as she flounced down the hall in the general direction of the stairs, "Just see if I ever speak to you again!"

"I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean it. Tomoka-chan!" Horio wailed, running in his girlfriend's wake.

* * *

"Oishi-sempai, is something wrong? You look a little red…" Sakuno noticed the flustered upperclassman first.

When Oishi ventured forth from his classroom in search of Ryoma, he hadn't expected to see such a display in the halls of school. Luckily, by the time he arrived in the hallway of first-year classrooms he ran into a trio of familiar faces.

"I think I just saw Horio and Osakada-san…" Oishi gestured behind him, looking shell-shocked.

"So soon?" Kachiro was the picture of long-suffering patience. "Whose turn is it this time?" He looked back and forth between Sakuno and Katsuo.

Sakuno shook her head. "I'm exempt this week."

"Oh, yeah, for the thing at the last match." He turned a significant look on Katsuo. "It was my turn yesterday."

"Aw, man." Katsuo looked up at Oishi. "They were back towards the stairs, right?" He took off in that direction after the upperclassman nodded.

"What was that about?" Oishi asked as he watched Katsuo leave.

Sakuno and Kachiro exchanged a glance before answering.

"Tomo-chan and Horio-kun are very…um…" Sakuno waved her hands a little as she struggled to find the correct word.

"Passionate," Kachiro supplied promptly.

She smiled at him appreciatively. "Tomo-chan and Horio-kun are very _passionate _about each other."

"So…?" Oishi wasn't sure if he wanted to know where this was leading.

"And school isn't the best place to express those sorts of feelings…"

"At least not where everyone can see," Kachiro chimed in.

"So we take turns to encourage them to find someplace more private…" Sakuno's face was beginning to turn an interesting shade of red.

"Yelling 'Get a room!' doesn't usually work, you know?"

"I see," Oishi could feel the tips of his ears burning. This was heading fast into the realm of Too Much Information. "And you're exempt this week, Ryuuzaki-san?"

"Yes."

When no further explanation was forthcoming, Oishi said gently, "May I ask why?" Sakuno just looked at him, her already blushing face becoming even more uncomfortably red.

"Sempai, do you _really_ want to know?" Kachiro said before Sakuno could start flailing in embarrassment.

Realizing just how uncomfortable the two of them were, Oishi shook his head quickly. "No, not really." The two underclassmen looked relieved.

Katsuo reappeared then, reporting that the two were safely on the roof.

But another thing began to bother Oishi. "Are you three against Horio and Osakada-san having a relationship?" This question was met with three identical puzzled expressions.

"Huh?" Katsuo sounded genuinely confused.

"No way!" Kachiro said emphatically.

"Of course not," Sakuno answered at the same time, though in a more normal tone.

"Then why…"

"I asked Obaa-er, Ryuuzaki-sensei about it and she said that they could get in trouble if a teacher catches them." Sakuno smiled sweetly, positively beaming as she said, "Tomo-chan and Horio-kun are both very happy right now."

Kachiro nodded. "If you haven't noticed, Horio-kun is less…um…"

"Horio-kun-ish," Katsuo finished.

"And Tomo-chan is more cheerful than I've ever seen her," Sakuno added.

"We don't know _why_ they like each other so much," Katsuo mumbled.

"At least things are always interesting around them," Kachiro said, ever the peacemaker.

"They fight a lot though," Katsuo grumbled, though it was good-natured.

"Tomo-chan said it's because they like making up." Sakuno offered with her earlier cheerfulness, apparently recovered from her bout of embarrassment. Oishi decided to let that particular piece of information go without comment.

"That's why we're trying to make sure they don't get in trouble." Kachiro smiled. "That's what friends are for, right?"

Oishi was momentarily overwhelmed. _This_ was the feeling of camaraderie that he had been striving so hard for. It did his heart good to know that he would eventually leave the tennis team to such caring individuals, but he also wanted to recognize their efforts while he was still around.

"Kachiro-kun," Oishi grabbed him by the shoulders, leveling an intense look at him, "if you need to talk to someone, come see me anytime. The same goes for you, Ryuuzaki-san, Katsuo-kun. I know exactly how you feel."

"Um… okay... Oishi-sempai…" Kachiro laughed a little nervously, never having Oishi act so familiarly towards him before.

"Thanks… I think," Katsuo smiled and bowed respectfully.

"If you need advice or anything... Okay?" Oishi made sure to look at each person individually to make sure they acknowledged his offer.

"Oishi-sempai is very kind to make the offer to us," Sakuno said, bowing as well.

Oishi nodded, pleased to be useful to his kohai. It was only after he returned to his class that he realized that he hadn't found Ryoma at all.

* * *

At practice later…

"Echizen, what's with that face? Miss your nap-time?" Momoshiro grinned as he grabbed Ryoma in a headlock.

"Stupid Horio and Osakada…" Ryoma muttered, sullenly glaring at Momo's shoes.

Oishi's eyes widened, suddenly. "Were you on the roof during lunch, Echizen?"

"Yeah," Then, after a token struggle, "Let me go, Momo-sempai."

Oishi made a mental note to tell Kachiro that roof wasn't very safe either.

* * *


	4. That Voice

**Random Insanity: That Voice**

**Disclaimer**: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. I'm just borrowing for a little while.

**Rating:** PG

**Summary:** (Ryo-> Saku) Ryoma thinks about his teammates before a match.

* * *

"Go Ryoma-sama!" the strident voice of his self-proclaimed fan club president.

"Go get em, Ochibi!" the cheerfully competitive voice of his acrobatic sempai.

"Show me something interesting," the vaguely challenging words of his coach.

It was any match, any tournament. The words of his teammates never changed much.

"FIGHT, ECHIZEN!" the enthusiastic call of his burning senpai.

"We're behind you!" the encouraging words from Seigaku's "Mama."

"I'm looking forward to this," the faintly chilling comment from the other tennis prodigy.

"Hmph," a disinterested grunt came from the most anti-social Regular.

When was it, he wondered, that all of these voices became unimportant to him? There was really only one person he wanted to hear encouragement from.

"I'll be sure to collect good data for later," came the ambiguously threatening promise of his data-obsessed sempai.

"Don't lose, Echizen!" the command issued by his sempai that was currently boss monkey of the peanut gallery.

So many voices, so many expectations, and so many obligations he had to fulfill.

"Ryoma-kun!" yelled Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, standing with the boss monkey.

"Echizen!" …and Tweedle Dumbest, completing the set.

He wished they would all just be quiet.

"_Become the pillar of Seigaku," _the echoing words of his absent captain.

He had a job to do and he was going to do it. These people were too loud anyway. In this racket he was never going to—

"Ryoma-kun, do your best."

That voice. The one he secretly liked the most. The words of someone who, in the end, probably didn't care if he won or lost…

"I haven't even started yet."

He would win, because that was all that was acceptable to him.

"Do your best, Ryoma-kun."

He would.

* * *

(owari) 


End file.
